Molting?

[dano96]

I have 7 hens that were hatched in late April/Early may 2011. They all started laying in mid September and I have been consistently getting 5-7 eggs per day since late October. In mid January, one of my Buff Orps and one of my Silver lace Wyandotes went all 'fuzzy' on their backs, just above the tail feathers. The Orp eventually started losing feathers in the fuzzy area. About mid March, 3 others started to do the same thing, but one of my Barred rocks just started losing tail feathers without going fuzzy. Only my Black Sex Link is starting to lose feathers on her head, which I read in several sources is where they start to lose when molting. Right now, 5 of 7 have lost feathers on their bottoms and bellies, but don't appear to be growing any new ones! The other 2 have bald patches on their backs that have bumps that look kind of like pimples. Could they all be in various stages of molt? None of them have been acting strangely; they are eating normally and although egg production is down a bit, I'm still collecting close to 3 dozen a week! Any ideas? Or should I stop worrying? Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[ChicKat]

wow dano, Welcome to the forum.

What a question. Molting is partly triggered by the reduction in daylight. But it can be caused by stress and other things as well. Some egg producers even do a 'forced molt' -- so there are lots of variables there.

IMO to be a chicken owner is to worry.....;O) That's one reason this forum is so great. It kind of sounds like the bumps you mention could be the new feathers growing IN -- and if you can confirm that -- then you will be able to end the worry.



Here is a picture of my much adored, but now deceased 'Henrietta-the-wonder-chicken' If you look closely behind and above her eye you can see the feathers growing in after her molt. There are more molting picts. if you go to my signature and click on the 'jottings'. (bigger picts too, I think)

Keep asking and researching, until you get solid answers to your questions. The forum is the right place. I have heard of a depluming mite that can remove feathers from chickens, and although I think it is highly unlikely that your flock would have it--you may want to google it or search the forum to see if there is a match to symptoms. If the bumps become quills and shortly thereafter feathers...then you know that it is the natural course of events.

If they are trying to grow new feathers, it takes a lot of protein, so you could boost the protein in their feed...be patient and soon they will look better than ever.